1950s
The 1950s started to have Swiss weekend tournaments, ratings and chess clocks. Zvonko Vranesic, Belgrade Junior Champion, came to Toronto and won the TC with a perfect 9-0 the first time he entered. The 1959 TC might have been played in Casa Loma. Frank Anderson was the dominant Toronto player, winning four TCs in the 1950s, winning the Bernard Freedman Trophy. He won the Canadian Champion, two gold medals at the Olympiad and defeated Russian Champion Igor Bondarevsky when he visited Toronto in 1954. He wrote the chess column in the Hamilton Spectator. Geza Fuster arrived from Hungary and won the TC three years in a row, including a 10-round Swiss. He got to play in an Interzonal in 1958, Olympiad, and other international tournaments. Junior Ross Siemms tied Anderson twice for first in the TC.
Earl Jewitt played in at least six of them, with an overall plus score. Other regulars were Peter Avery (5), Roy Orlando, H. Herbert, and S. Mallinson (4). J.S. Morrison played in 1952– 43 years after winning his first TC! Ivan Suk, later Ivan Theodorovitch, was a top finisher as was Arnold Lidacis (Canadian Correspondence Champion ’55-’59), Rudolph Draxl and Zoltan Sarosy. Later Scarborough Chess Club organizer Howard Ridout played as did the future Yonge Street player Joe Smolij.
1930-40s
The TC winners were John Harry Belson (seven times), Robert E. Martin was usually second to Belson but won three, junior Frank Anderson (twice) and elder John S. Morrison in 1945. Toronto Star chess columnist Charles Crompton won in 1949. Results were published in Chess Review in the U.S.. Chess was being taught in schools and there was a Toronto Junior Chess League.
1920-30s
George Eastman won the Wanless Cup six TCs, three in a row 1929-31, Sydney Gale won three, and Toronto Telegram chess columnist Malcolm Sim also won; he later became an IA. The Canadian Championship was held at the CNE twice.
1900-10s
There was increased chess activity and press coverage. Frank Marshall visited several times. Junior and Ladies Championships were held. A team chess league was started between clubs. John Stewart Morrison won the TC in 1909 and 1910, and later won five Canadian Championships and played in many international tournaments. R.G. Hunter won in 1911 and was a longtime tournament organizer. William Flint Jones won in 1905 and 1907.
The first Toronto Champions were George Palmer 1854, George Palmer 1859, H. R. Forbes 1862, Henry Northcote 1871, and H. J. Rose 1879.
Data compiled and research by Erik Malmsten with help by David Cohen, Andrew McMillan and Hugh Brodie.